How It Is Done

A facial X-ray is taken by a radiology technologist. The X-ray pictures are usually read by a doctor who specializes in interpreting X-rays (radiologist), but other doctors may also review the films.

You will need to remove any jewelry that may be in the way of the X-ray picture. You will also need to remove glasses or dentures.

You may be asked to lie on an X-ray table or sit in a chair. Several views (a series) of X-ray pictures are needed for clear pictures of the face. Your head may need to be repositioned for each view. You should hold your head completely still while the pictures are being taken. A padded brace, foam pads, a headband, or sandbags may be used to hold your head in place while the pictures are taken.

If pictures of the orbital cavities or sinuses are needed, you will usually sit up while they are taken. A padded brace may be used to hold your head still while the pictures are taken.

Facial X-rays usually take about 10 to 20 minutes. You will wait about 5 minutes until the X-rays are processed in case repeat pictures need to be taken. In some clinics and hospitals, X-ray pictures can be shown immediately on a computer screen (digitally).

How It Feels

You will feel no discomfort from the X-rays. The X-ray table may feel hard and the room may be cool. You may find that the positions you need to hold are uncomfortable or painful, especially if you have an injury.

Risks

There is always a slight risk of damage to cells or tissue from being exposed to any radiation, including the low levels of radiation used for this test. But the risk of damage from the X-rays is usually very low compared with the potential benefits of the test.

For example, the radiation exposure from a chest X-ray is about equal to the natural radiation exposure received during a round-trip airline flight from Boston to Los Angeles (Montreal to Vancouver) or ten days in the Rocky Mountains (Denver, Colorado).

Results

A facial X-ray is a series of pictures of the bones in your face. A facial X-ray helps find bone fractures, tumors, foreign objects, infections, and abnormal growths or changes in bone structure or size. In an emergency, the doctor can see the initial results of a facial X-ray in a few minutes. Otherwise, a radiologist usually has the official X-ray report ready the next day.